OREANDA-NEWS. March 11, 2010. OOO Nizhnekamsk SSC Tire Factory, which is part of TATNEFT’s in petrochemical branch, will be running at full design capacity of 1.2 million pieces of solid steel cord tires per year by 2011. Thus, 70% of SSC-tires consumed DNC in Russia will be manufactured by the companies of TATNEFT’s tire producing complex, reported the press-centre of TATNEFT.

TATNEFT put this factory into operation in December 2009 with investments in this project amounting to \\$ 500 million. The products of this new factory are truck and bus tires. The rubber compounding technology provides for usage of a large proportion of natural rubber and silica ensuring high quality of the products. Production of this kind in full extent has never been implemented by any of the domestic tire producers in Russia.

As of today, this project is by far the most promising avenue in the tire manufacturing business. Practice shows that consumption of SSC-tires in the European countries accounts for up to 90% of the total consumption of truck and bus tires. SSC tires are characterized by high durability and reliability, allowing to increase the loading capacity by 8%. Possibility of threefold retreading increases the running capacity of tires up to 500 thousand kilometers. The average vehicle fuel economy goes as high as up to 15%. The tires fully comply with European environmental standards.

Meanwhile, the Russia's tire manufactures experience ever-increasing pressure from foreign competitors, supplying low quality and second hand products at dumping prices. This problem is discussed today at the highest level and OAO TATNEFT actively promotes its solution.